<p>Bishop, the hostility in your answer surprised me. This is a multigenerational forum, specifically designated as such. As a person working in the area of high school education, I see first hand how much different generations can learn from each other. This is the case in a respectable forum such as this one, where interested and knowledgeable people of all ages contribute. You are closing yourself off to a whole segment of the population.
It's also not a good idea to write people off, especially without knowing anything about them. You could find that you have burned bridges you wish you had kept open.
Perhaps my previous post sounded somewhat condescending and opinionated. What I really wanted to convey is that there are many wonderful schools out there that include both Ivies and others such as Wash U. I do feel some frustration seeing outstanding students each year who become depressed when they don't get into a school around which they have structured their lives (although having goals is great), or whose particulars don't create the best fit in a school, or who write off strong schools because they don't know them. But it's a good thing that in a forum such as this one, students can explore various college options and ask the hard questions safely.</p>
<p>kinglin, i believe i may have over exaggerated (a bit) the affect i was trying to convey. for the kids at my school who apply to the ivies and other "top tier" schools (Gtown, stanford, mit) washU IS a backup. although i may be a bit jaded in my opinion, because of who i am friends with. everyone i know who has applied to the other "top tier" schools has had no problems getting into washU. further some of those kids who weren't excepted at the ivies, etc end up receiving 1 of the 24 merit scholarships washU gives out every year.</p>
<p>oh yea i go to lafayette. last year 22 kids admitted to washU 7 attended. all the rest didnt go because they got major merit scholarships elsewhere.</p>
<p>btw where od you go to school?</p>
<p>ha i go to lafayette too. freaky.</p>